For some of us, seeing Smokey and the Bandit for the first time was more memorable than our first kiss. Hearing that black Trans Am crank up and roll down the loading ramps of Snowman’s truck was something we’ll never forget. This movie has a cult following, and that’s pretty much because in some way, we all kind of want to be the Bandit. To be the Bandit, you’ve got to have the right car, shy of paying big bucks for a replicated Bandit Edition Trans Am from YearOne, there hasn’t been much when it comes to options, until now. Burt Reynolds, the Bandit himself, has just introduced a new coming of the Bandit Trans Am, and it is pure awesomeness.
A few weeks ago, we gave you a peak at what goes into production of the modern day Trans Am by Trans Am Worldwide. It’s these same guys who are making the Bandit cars, we touched on that a bit, but didn’t have a ton of details to pass along at the time. To explain their process in a very basic way, they strip down modern production 5th-gen Camaros, and totally redo the design for a modern take on the Trans Am. Some people call it a “Camaro with a bodykit,” but those people are very wrong.
Trans Am Worldwide accredits Burt Reynolds for, not just their Trans Am obsession, but the world’s Trans Am obsession. Only 77 of these Burt Reynolds approved works of art will be available. The 77 production number is a tribute to the year the movie came out, as well as the year of the first Trans Am SE (’76 was the first for the black/gold treatment, but we regarded as Limted Editions –Ed.) — but we didn’t need to tell you that. This car is complete with the details that make it unmistakable as a Bandit car.
The paint, badging, wheels, everything, it’s all perfect. Burt also notes that it’s got a nice big front seat (if you know what he means…we don’t). A welcome difference is the 840 crank horsepower thanks to the nasty LSX engines used — Burt calls it an “airplane on the ground.” To top it all off, Burt Reynolds penned his signature on each car, so you’ll be driving a Bandit approved Trans Am if you’re lucky enough to get one!
Elizabeth is a hardcore horsepower enthusiast with unmatched intensity for making things faster and louder. She wakes up for power and performance and only sleeps to charge up for the next project that’s heading to the track. From autocross to drag racing, Elizabeth is there with you, so stay tuned for her unique perspective on horsepower news, builds, tech info, and installs — with her, it’ll never be boring!
